Decanter World Wine AwardsBroadbent: Consumer 'so confused' by wine
- Monday 9 August 2010
- Comments (3)
On the anniversary of his 400th column in the magazine, the former head of Christie’s wine department told decanter.com 'My feeling is that consumers have never had so much choice but they have never been so confused.
'The whole world is making a good standard of wine today and they need some guidance,' he said.
Broadbent has been writing about wine for more than 50 years and has seen many changes in that time. However, he lamented the demise of the smaller players. 'Big business seems to be taking over and I don’t like the way things are going,' he added.
His 400th column in September’s issue of Decanter takes a look back at his wine-filled career.
Have your say!
Robin Twist
November 08 04:32
Having been a regular Decanter reader for only a few years,[I recently found an issue dated Aug '95 under my house whilst moving], I can only agree with Tim Jackson,not only thoroughly ejoyable,but most informative.
Having long been one of those idiots,[so described] who travel 500 Kms or more,virtually for a Saturday night dinner,then return home the next day,just to visit a favourite boutique winemaker in HIS area,and reaquaint myself with HIS wines from HIS area grown in HIS dirt.
In the recent years,talk of the great 'wine lake',with its concomittent descriptions..similar flavour...indifferent quality,whilst true,do not represent what I would regard as representative of our finer wine production.
There are many small producers whose wines are sold even before they are labelled,let alone reach their cellar doors!
I am convinced that the small,individual winemaker will be the saviour of the world's wine market.
I look forward to Michael Broadbent's next articles with unreserved glee.
Robin Twist
New South Wales
Australia
Frank Graham
August 16 10:57
I agree!
Tim Jackson
August 16 10:54
I've read Decanter for years and I don't think there's been a column by Michael I haven't enjoyed. He's a wine legend.